Northern Cebu Ferry Guide: Hagnaya, Santa Fe, Maya and Malapascua Transfers

Hagnaya and Maya are not interchangeable. Use Hagnaya Port for the RORO crossing to Santa Fe and the rest of Bantayan Island. Use Maya Port for the passenger boat to Malapascua.

This Northern Cebu ferry guide covers both routes from Cebu North Bus Terminal, but the road journey, ticketing process, vehicle rules, and last-trip risks are different. Allow 3 to 5 hours from Cebu City to Hagnaya and 4 to 5 hours to Maya. Traffic, bus stops, and holiday queues can push either trip beyond the shortest estimate.

Schedules, fares, and terminal charges change. Use this guide to choose the right port and build a safe buffer, then confirm the sailing with the operator or port counter on the day of travel.

Northern Cebu ferry routes at a glance

Mainland port	Destination	Boat type	Who should use it
Hagnaya Port, San Remigio	Santa Fe Port, Bantayan Island	Passenger and RORO ferry	Travelers for Santa Fe, Bantayan municipality, and Madridejos, including cars and motorcycles with a confirmed RORO slot
Maya Port, Daanbantayan	Logon, commonly called Malapascua Island	Motorized passenger banca	Malapascua passengers traveling on foot with luggage
Maya New RORO Port	Other inter-island routes	Larger RORO vessels	Travelers using a separately confirmed inter-island service, not the regular Malapascua passenger boat

Getting to the ports from Cebu City

Buses for Hagnaya, Maya, and Daanbantayan leave from Cebu North Bus Terminal. Shared vans also operate on northern routes, but no reliable public timetable or fare matrix was available when this guide was checked.

• Cebu City to Hagnaya: allow 3 to 5 hours
• Cebu City to Maya: allow 4 to 5 hours
• Same-day terminal check: Cebu North Bus Terminal, 0942 463 2514
• Road corridor: Mandaue, Danao, Bogo, then the northern approaches through San Remigio or Daanbantayan

The route follows the road north through Medellin for many Maya and Daanbantayan trips. City traffic, roadside stops, and holiday passenger volume can add more time than the distance suggests.

Bus or van? Buses are easier to verify at the terminal and usually handle luggage more predictably. A van can be faster when it leaves promptly, but cramped luggage, waiting for seats to fill, and unscheduled stops can erase the advantage. Carry cash, keep valuables with you, and review these Philippine transport and packing tips before leaving Cebu City.

Hagnaya Port to Santa Fe and Bantayan Island

Hagnaya Port in San Remigio is the standard mainland gateway to Santa Fe. Cebu Provincial Tourism identifies Island Shipping and Super Shuttle as route operators, while MARINA’s March 2026 nautical matrix confirms the Hagnaya to Santa Fe route.

Allow about 1 to 1.5 hours for the crossing and port process. A listed vessel may have a shorter underway time, but loading, queueing, and docking add time. Read Suroy.ph’s complete Bantayan Island travel guide for beaches, accommodation, food, and island planning after arrival.

Tickets, fares, and terminal charges

Island Shipping and Super Shuttle operate several crossings daily, but current online timetable and fare tables conflict. A fare rollback for passengers and vehicles took effect on May 11, 2026, which made many older posts unreliable.

• Use the Super Shuttle official booking page or the terminal board for a current departure.
• For planning only, conflicting 2026 references place an adult crossing at roughly ₱300 to ₱450 before possible port or environmental charges. This is a budget range, not an official fare.
• Carry cash for separate fees and ask for an official receipt.
• Do not treat a screenshot of an old timetable as a confirmed sailing.

Cars and motorcycles on the Hagnaya route

Hagnaya is the correct route for taking a car or motorcycle to Bantayan Island. Book the RORO slot directly with the operator, arrive earlier than foot passengers, and confirm the current vehicle rate after giving the exact vehicle class.

• Bring a current driver’s licence, vehicle registration, valid identification, and the documents the operator confirms.
• Do not rely on old car, SUV, or motorcycle fare tables because vehicle rates changed in 2026.
• Ask whether the quoted amount includes the driver, passengers, terminal charges, and fuel surcharge.
• Keep enough time for vehicle inspection, queueing, and ramp loading.

Santa Fe to Bantayan town and Madridejos

Santa Fe Port is the gateway for the whole island, not only Santa Fe town. Bantayan municipality and Madridejos are reached by road after landing. There is no regular Hagnaya to Madridejos passenger ferry that replaces the Santa Fe route for most travelers.

• Confirm your resort or guesthouse pickup before boarding in Hagnaya.
• If no transfer is included, agree on the fare and destination before entering a tricycle or other local vehicle.
• Allow extra road time for Madridejos, which is on the northern side of Bantayan Island.
• Keep the return ferry in mind when booking a same-day island activity.

Maya Port to Malapascua

Maya in Daanbantayan is the mainland jump-off for Logon, commonly called Malapascua Island. The regular service uses motorized passenger bancas, not the Hagnaya-style vehicle ferry. Suroy.ph’s Malapascua Island guide covers the island, beaches, and thresher-shark diving after the transfer.

No current government or licensed-operator page with a guaranteed daily timetable was available when this guide was checked. A destination site updated in June 2026 listed public boats from about 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM at ₱240, with later departures dependent on demand. Treat that as a secondary planning snapshot, not a promise.

• Aim to reach Maya by 3:00 PM.
• Do not promise yourself an hourly departure. A boat may wait for passengers.
• Allow roughly 30 to 45 minutes on the water, plus registration, loading, and weather delays.
• Carry small cash for the ticket, luggage, and local charges.
• Keep your accommodation contact available in case the arrival point or pickup arrangement changes.

Environmental and terminal fees at Maya

Daanbantayan’s posted Municipal Tourism Office Citizen’s Charter lists an environmental fee of ₱75 for local tourists and ₱120 for foreign tourists, with stated exemptions or discounts for some residents, seniors, PWDs, and foreign residents. The document was uploaded in 2022, so confirm the current amount at the Municipal Tourism Office and keep the receipt.

Daanbantayan Tourism can be reached at 0932 268 7118 or [email protected]. Do not assume a terminal fee repeated on a travel blog is still current.

Can a motorcycle go to Malapascua?

Do not assume it can travel on the regular Logon passenger boat. No reliable current official evidence was found for tourists routinely carrying cars or motorcycles on that service. Leave the road vehicle on mainland Cebu or arrange island transport unless Daanbantayan Tourism and the boat operator confirm otherwise.

Weather cancellations and same-day checks

A published time is not a guarantee that a vessel will sail. Hagnaya and Maya were both suspended during Tropical Storm Basyang in February 2026. The Philippine Coast Guard, port authorities, operators, and local government instructions control actual departures.

At this guide’s July 28, 2026 update, PAGASA’s weekly outlook expected partly cloudy to cloudy conditions with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms through July 31, mostly in the afternoon or evening. That dated outlook does not clear a specific ferry. Same-day local conditions still decide.

1. Check the PAGASA Gale Warning.
2. Check the PAGASA Visayas regional forecast.
3. Review the relevant LGU tourism notice.
4. Confirm with the ferry operator or port ticket counter.
5. Call Cebu North Bus Terminal before leaving the city if the sea crossing is uncertain.

A late private banca is not a safe substitute when public boats stop because of weather. Do not pressure a boat operator to sail against an advisory.

The last-trip risk

• Do not build a same-day hotel, dive, or flight connection around the final listed sailing.
• Leave Cebu City early in the morning for Hagnaya and aim to reach the port by early afternoon.
• Leave Cebu City in the morning for Maya and aim to reach the port by 3:00 PM.
• Add a mainland or island buffer night before an early flight from Cebu.
• During rainy or typhoon season, allow one full contingency day before a time-sensitive international departure.

The last boat can leave early, wait for passengers, be delayed, or be cancelled. A private transfer may solve a low-passenger departure, but it does not override a weather suspension.

Where to wait during a disruption

At Maya, registered tourists are directed to a port waiting area. At Hagnaya, remain in the designated passenger area while authorities give updates. If the suspension becomes an overnight problem, stop waiting indefinitely at the pier.

• Hagnaya: look for a room in San Remigio or Bogo and keep the operator’s next update in writing.
• Maya: use mainland Daanbantayan accommodation. Suroy.ph has guides to an overnight stay in Daanbantayan and another Daanbantayan overnight option.
• Do not treat fuel stations as shelters: Cebu’s accredited clean-toilet stops near Hagnaya, Daanbantayan, and Bogo are useful restroom stops, not overnight waiting facilities.

One-page departure checklist

• Correct port: Hagnaya for Bantayan, Maya for Malapascua
• Operator or tourism office confirmation saved on the phone
• Same-day PAGASA and LGU check
• Cash in small denominations
• Valid identification
• Vehicle papers if using RORO
• Waterproof cover for electronics and documents
• Accommodation contact and transfer instructions
• One missed-sailing backup plan
• Flight or major connection scheduled with a safe buffer

Northern Cebu ferry quick answers

Which port goes to Bantayan Island?

Use Hagnaya Port for the ferry to Santa Fe. Continue by road from Santa Fe to Bantayan municipality or Madridejos.

Which port goes to Malapascua?

Use Maya Port in Daanbantayan for the motorized passenger banca to Logon, commonly called Malapascua Island.

Can I take a car to Bantayan?

Yes, with a confirmed Hagnaya to Santa Fe RORO slot. Book with the operator, arrive early, and verify current vehicle documents and rates.

How late should I arrive at Maya?

Aim for 3:00 PM or earlier. Do not plan around the final reported boat because late sailings can depend on passenger demand and weather.

Route and safety sources

• Cebu Provincial Tourism: Santa Fe
• Cebu Provincial Tourism: Daanbantayan
• MARINA Philippine Nautical Highway Matrix, March 2026
• Daanbantayan Municipal Tourism Office Citizen’s Charter
• Cebu Province: February 2026 port suspensions

Routes, contacts, public notices, and planning ranges were checked on July 28, 2026. Ferry schedules, fares, vehicle rates, terminal charges, and weather instructions can change without notice. Confirm on the day of travel.